Techniques to Reduce Time to Music for a Playback Device

1. A playback device comprising: at least one processor; a wireless network interface; at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: begin initialization of the wireless network interface; after beginning initialization of the wireless network interface but before the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, cause the wireless network interface to scan for available wireless networks of the at least one wireless network type; identify at least one available wireless network of the at least one wireless network type; and after the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to the at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, use a stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish a connection to a given wireless network of the at least one available wireless network.

2. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: after identifying the at least one available wireless network, store a respective indication of each available wireless network, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to use the stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: use the stored respective indication of the given wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to begin initialization of the wireless network interface comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: begin loading one or more software drivers for the wireless network interface.

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to scan for available wireless networks comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: scan for available wireless networks before the playback device completes loading the one or more software drivers for the wireless network interface.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to begin initialization of the wireless network interface comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: begin initialization of the wireless network interface based on detecting an input indicating a command to power up the playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 5, wherein the input indicating the command to power up the playback device is received via a user interface of the playback device.

7. The playback device of claim 5, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: before detecting the input indicating the command to power up the playback device: connect to the given wireless network on a given wireless frequency channel; store an indication of the given wireless frequency channel; and power down the playback device, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to scan for available wireless networks comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: cause the wireless network interface to scan for available wireless networks starting from the given wireless frequency channel.

8. The playback device of claim 7, wherein the given wireless network is a secure wireless network for which security information is stored on the playback device, the playback device further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: after identifying the given wireless network, discontinue scanning for available wireless networks.

9. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: before identifying the given wireless network: identify an unsecured wireless network; and after identifying the unsecured wireless network, continue scanning for available wireless networks.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein: the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to begin initialization of the wireless network interface comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: begin initialization of the wireless network interface based on receiving a command to play back audio content; and the playback device further comprises program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: based on the command to play back audio content, begin initialization of an application for retrieval and playback of audio content; after beginning initialization of the application for retrieval and playback of audio content but before the playback device has obtained an internet protocol (IP) address: determine that an initialization operation of the application for retrieval and playback of audio content requires an IP address; and defer execution of the initialization operation that requires an IP address; receive an indication that the playback device has obtained an IP address; and based on the indication that the playback device has obtained the IP address, execute the initialization operation.

11. The playback device of claim 10, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: after executing the initialization operation, retrieve and play back given audio content.

12. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to begin initialization of the application for retrieval and playback of audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: after establishing the connection to the given wireless network, begin initialization of the application for retrieval and playback of audio content.

13. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the initialization operation is a first initialization operation, the playback device further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: determine that a second initialization operation requires an IP address; assign a placeholder IP address for use by the second initialization operation; execute the second initialization operation using the placeholder IP address; and based on the indication that the playback device has obtained the IP address, update the placeholder IP address with the obtained IP address.

14. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is a portable playback device further comprising a rechargeable battery pack.

15. The playback device of claim 14, wherein the playback device is a wearable device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a playback device to: begin initialization of a wireless network interface of the playback device; after beginning initialization of the wireless network interface but before the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, cause the wireless network interface to scan for available wireless networks of the at least one wireless network type; identify at least one available wireless network of the at least one wireless network type; and after the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to the at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, use a stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish a connection to a given wireless network of the at least one available wireless network.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to: after identifying the at least one available wireless network, store a respective indication of each available wireless network, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to use the stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to: use the stored respective indication of the given wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to begin initialization of the wireless network interface comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to: begin loading one or more software drivers for the wireless network interface.

19. A method carried out by a playback device, the method comprising: beginning initialization of a wireless network interface of the playback device; after beginning initialization of the wireless network interface but before the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, causing the wireless network interface to scan for available wireless networks of the at least one wireless network type; identifying at least one available wireless network of the at least one wireless network type; and after the playback device is capable of establishing a connection to the at least one wireless network type via the wireless network interface, using a stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish a connection to a given wireless network of the at least one available wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: after identifying the at least one available wireless network, storing a respective indication of each available wireless network, wherein using the stored indication of the at least one available wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network comprises: using the stored respective indication of the given wireless network to establish the connection to the given wireless network.